put on the dog
idiomatic phrase
chiefly US, informal + old-fashioned
: to make a showy display : to pretend that one is very stylish or rich
They really put on the dog for their daughter's wedding.
We always had a Saturday night party when Aunt Lizzie came. That gave her a chance to visit those she had grown up with, and as Father said, to show off, and put on the dog, and generally to show how well she had done since she left Renfrew County.—
Mary Cook
Mary CookCite this Entry
“Put on the dog.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/put%20on%20the%20dog. Accessed 23 May. 2025.
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